Partners
by Hi no Hime
Summary: Light and Hope have a conversation one night in the new world.


Disclaimer- I own NOTHING!

Summary- Hope and Light have a conversation one night in the new world.

…

Three years. That's how long they've been in the new world. For so long the focus has been on survival and building, but now that part is all over. Now life can move on.

Serah and Snow are finally getting married. They live in a big house they build with Light and Hope. Serah is teaching again, and Snow finds whatever work he can.

Noel and Yuel are living together happily. Yuel recently celebrated her 18th birthday, the first and only Yuel to do so. They had a big party with all of their friends.

Sazh finally gets to live peacefully with his son. He works as an airplane pilot and is never gone from home to long.

Fang and Vanille live together too. Like everyone, they are happy to be able to live peacefully with the one they love. Vanille has begun to forgive herself for her past actions, with Fang gently guiding her along. Vanille and Yuel run a flower shop together.

Hope has regrown into his adult body and works as an inventor and mechanic. Thanks to him they all have cars and computers, and a lot of other modern conveniences. He often works late into the night trying to figure out some new gadget. Though he does like to go out and watch the stars on occasion. He found his parents, though he declined living with them. They live fairly close so he can visit whenever he wants.

Light is living comfortably. She helped to for the local police force and is often busy running it. Noel and Snow will help out sometimes by training the new recruits. She is very content with her life at the moment. Her sister and all of her friends are close, safe, and happy. She is even beginning to look forward to becoming an aunt, though don't tell Snow this.

…

It was late evening when Hope began his normal trek to his favorite star gazing spot. He had a lot on his mind, trying to figure out how to make his latest invention work and it was very frustrating. He had wanted to talk to Lightning, because talking with her always helped calm him down, but she was nowhere to be found.

He was beginning to worry about her. She had a habit of disappearing lately for hours at a time. Then when she does finally come home she refuses to tell him where she goes. He couldn't complain about that too much as he never told anyone where he was going when he went to look at the stars. He wanted to ask her what was on her mind, but he was afraid that she would become upset with him and then talk to him even less. Eventually he gave up looking for her and decided to go watch the stars.

His spot was at the top of a small hill not too far from their house. On one side there was a forest and on the other you could see for miles. There was an almost perfect view of the town they had all built together, and on a particularly breezy day you could smell the flowers from Vanille and Yuel's gardens. There was also a large lake where everyone would go swimming during the hot summers. As far as Hope was concerned that hilltop was the perfect place and he had never shown anyone where it was at. It was his special place.

As Hope neared the top of the hill he could hear someone singing. The voice was soft, and female, and rather familiar. He continued on, almost to the top and the voice became louder as he got closer. When he finally got to the top of the hill his suspicion was confirmed. There sitting against a tree, with her eyes closed and singing to herself, was Lightning. The song was an old lullaby from Cocoon, one he hadn't heard in a very long time. His mother had sung it to him when he was small.

He watched her for a few minutes. He had known for a long time that he was in love with her. Perhaps ever since the day they met. He thought she was absolutely stunning sitting there in the moonlight. She looked like the Goddess she had almost become.

That though still scared him sometimes. The idea that he would never be able to see her again. He knew and understood why she was willing to do it, but he hated the idea all the same. He was so relieved when Caius and the other Yuels had taken the job. For all the trouble Caius has caused he would be forever grateful to him for letting Light come with them to the new world. Of course he still thought of her as a goddess, his own personal goddess that he was fortunate enough to live with.

Eventually she finished her song and opened her eyes. She was startled at first to learn that she wasn't alone, but then relieved to find that the intruder was Hope. She offered him a small smile.

"So this is where you go on the nights when you disappear." She said, her voice still soft and light. "I didn't think anyone else even knew about this place." She stood up and walked over to him.

"Uh, yea me neither. I just love this place. It's so relaxing here. It kind of reminds me of this place near the Yaschas Massif that I use to go to think while I was working on the Farseer project. Man that was a long time ago. So, uh, is this where you've been disappearing too as well?" Hope shifted uncomfortably. He was slightly irritated that his secret spot had been discovered, but if it had to be anyone he was glad it was Light.

"Not at first. For a while I just wandered in the woods, trying to familiarize myself with the terrain in case something happened and we had to come this way for some reason. Then it became something to do when I needed to think. I only found this place a few days ago. It was so calm and, as you said, relaxing that I decided to come back. I can see why you never told anyone about it, just the thought of Snow stomping around here is cringe worthy." And it was, Hope visually cringed at the thought of Snow finding this place. He would likely stomp around, make a bunch of noise, and just ruin the natural serenity of the place.

"Hehe, yea that is a scary thought." He smiled at her. "Do you want to come sit down with me? I mean unless you would rather just go home, I would totally understand." He stammered then began walking to the tree Lighting had just been sitting against. She smiled again.

"Actually that would be nice. We haven't had a lot of time to just hang out together lately have we. Though I am sorry to intrude on your special place." She sat down beside Hope.

"Don't worry about it. If I had to share this place with anyone I'm glad it's you." He smiled widely at her. "And besides now it can be _our_ special place. Just for you and me." Realizing how corny that sounded Hope blushed bright red. Thankfully it was getting darker out and so it was more difficult to see.

"Right, our place." She smiled and leaned back against the tree, closing her eyes. "So how long have you been coming here?"

"Uh, oh, I found this place just a few weeks after the house was finished being built. I was walking around and just kind of stumbled upon it. I ended up staying here until it got really late and that's when I saw the stars. They're different from the ones from the old world. I started watching them, trying to figure them out. After a while this just became my place to come and think. Whenever I'm having a problem and need to get out for a while I come here." Light sat up and looked at Hope.

"Oh, so what's your problem now? Still having issues with your new toys?"

"Light, they're not toys. They are to help us here in the new world." Hope looked at her.

"That doesn't answer my question." She smirked, knowing she got under his skin. "What is this problem you need to think about so much?" She cocked her head to the side slightly and Hope about got lost in her pale blue eyes. "Hope?"

"Well, it's a little complicated. I mean yes I am having some difficulties with my latest project… but there's something else too."

"What is it? Hope you know you can talk to me about anything, right?" Light looked at him, a mixture of curiosity and concern in her eyes.

"Yea, I know Light. But the real question is, do you know that the same applies to you? I'm not a little kid anymore, even if I looked it for a little while. You can talk to me about anything that's bothering you too." Lightning looked at him shocked. That was not what she would have expected him to say.

"What are you talking about Hope? There's nothing bothering me." She looked away to hide the faint blush that was currently dusting her cheeks.

"Light, I know you better than that. You've been disappearing a lot lately, I mean now I know where you've been going, but it doesn't change that I didn't before. You've also been really quite lately, more so than usual. You don't talk to me anymore either, and when you do it's about superficial crap like the weather. Light what's up? Please just talk to me."

The look of desperation in Hope's eyes made Light really think about her recent actions. Had she really been pushing him away that much? Yes she had a lot on her mind lately, but was she really getting that bad?

"Hope, I'm… I'm sorry. I didn't realize that I was hurting you this much. I've just been thinking a lot." She looked down, ashamed of the pain she'd cause him.

Hope was one of the most important people to her. He had fought by her side, and when she was chosen by Etro he kept trying to find a way to get her back. He never gave up on her, not once in 1000 years. She was even beginning to admit to herself that she is in love with him. And all she ever seemed to manage is to cause him pain.

"About what Light?" His eyes were soft and full of concern and… love?

"I've been thinking about that final fight with Bhunivelze, and Caius and all of the Yuels."

"What about them?" Hope looked at her curiously.

"Just about how different things would be if Bhunivelze had gotten his way, or if Caius and the Yuels hadn't agreed to take the place of the Goddess." Hope thought about it for a minute.

"Yea, things sure would be different. You wouldn't be here, and I might not either. My body would be, by my soul would be completely gone."

"And I would be the Goddess of Death."

"Yea, it's not hard to picture. You as a goddess I mean." Light looked at Hope curiously.

"How so?" She said skeptically.

"Well I mean you're powerful and fierce, but at the same time you can be kind and gentle. You would do anything to keep your loved ones safe. And on top of all that you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." Realizing what he just said Hope quickly shut his mouth and turned away from the woman he loved so dearly.

"Hope, look at me." He complied. "Do you really feel that way about me?" He shook his head yes.

"I've felt that way since we met. I guess you could say that you've always been something of a goddess to me." He looked down, his cheeks turning bright red. Lightning lifted his head with her fingers under his chin.

"Hope, I've never wanted to be a goddess, to anyone, much less you." He looked into her eyes, they were shining.

"Then why did you…" She interrupted him.

"Because Hope, someone had to. I couldn't just let everyone's souls get lost in the Chaos. And because I was groomed by both Etro and Bhunivelze to become the new goddess. I never wanted it, but if it meant you and Serah could live a happy life here in the new world then I would do it. Just the idea of people worshipping me makes my skin crawl." Hope shifted closer to Lightning, eyes still locked with hers.

"You didn't want to be worshipped? Why not?" Curiosity filling his voice.

"Because Hope, _any god that would require worship does not deserve to be worshipped_." Hope thought about this statement for a minute.

"I think you're right. So what do you want then?" Hope turned his entire body to face her, never breaking eye contact. He grabs ahold of her hands and pulls her even closer.

"Hope all I want is all I ever wanted." He looked at her questioningly. "I just want a partner. Someone I can trust to stay by my side, no matter what." Hope smiled brightly at this.

"I think I can manage that. Just remember that you said that, because now that I've got you I am never letting go." And with that he kissed her, putting every bit of his love for her shine though. It took a second but then she began to kiss back, and Hope was in paradise. Finally they had to pull apart for air. Hope rested his forehead on Light's, both of them with the biggest smile on their faces.

"So partners?" He asked, still smiling.

"Partners." was all she said before kissing him once more.

…

A/N: So here this is. For those who are interested I am still working on A New Home. I just had a bit of writer's block that seems to have mostly gone away now. I hope you liked this and will review.


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